Zoe Records
2004
The Spine
About This Album
Arriving just a few months after their very enjoyable Indestructible Object EP, They Might Be Giants' The Spine is relatively disappointing, with fewer memorable moments spread out over its 16 songs. Perhaps tellingly, two of the album's best moments already appeared on Indestructible Object: "Memo to Human Resources" is a brief, bittersweet tune from John Flansburgh that, with witty lyrics like "then the people came to talk me down/but I don't need advice/I'm down" and gently weary harmonies, really captures the feeling of being a perpetual underdog. "Au Contraire," by contrast, finds a who's who of history and pop culture ranging from FDR to David Bowie getting a comeuppance. Unfortunately, most of The Spine's other songs just aren't as memorable or fully developed as these tracks; while "Prevenge" has a clever name and "Damn Good Times" is a fun, bouncy throwaway, they sound more like B-sides or more fully developed Dial-A-Songs than album tracks. Though the album has been touted as one of They Might Be Giants more rock-oriented albums, The Spine doesn't really rock out any more than previous releases such as Apollo 18.
Track List (try tracks 1,3,4,5,6,7,10,12,13,14,15 and 16)

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